Chew, Chew, Gulp!

March 14, 2011
Given the talent of these two collaborators, this book about different methods of eating comes across as fairly lackluster. In the opening scene, a multiracial cast of children announces, "Eating isn't hard to do./ Follow us!/ We'll show you." Painting in bright acrylics, Krosoczka (Punk Farm) shows a boy eating mashed potatoes ("Swirl it") and a girl eating spaghetti ("Curl it"), followed by a spread with a girl eating pudding ("Scoop it") and a boy eating licorice ("Loop it"). Each scene features a different background and coordinating patterned tablecloth, and the kids display enthusiasm for the various foods (labeled on each page) that may help sway picky eaters. Thompson (the Little Quack books) groups some verbs according to rhymes ("Sip it./ Nip it./ Pick it./ Lick it") or alliteration ("Chomp it. Chop it"), and she keeps the focus on the actions involved. The light verse has a bouncing rhythm, but while the project suggests that mealtime can be fun (especially when spaghetti or soup are involved) neither Krosoczka's generically cheery artwork nor Thompson's uncomplicated text have much zing. Ages 3â5.

April 1, 2011

As four youngsters manipulate and maneuver the food and drink set before them, swirling and scooping playfully take center stage. In isolated scenes and small-group settings, the children devour each offering with gusto while a small label accompanies each featured snack. The emphasis here is on the eating process instead of the snacks ingested. Many actions depict the actual manner in which items may be eaten (popcorn popped into a mouth or the crunch of teeth on a carrot). A few connections are a little on the flimsy side; the words "prod it" depict a young boy poking a single tomato, hand on hip and one eye closed. Typography varies dramatically to accentuate each pointed beat. "Sip it. / Nip it. / Pick it. / Lick it. / Nibble it. / Crumble it. / Jab, jab, / POKE!" Often-monosyllabic text rhythmically flows into clipped phrases to complete each strand. Though the children portrayed cross racial boundaries, there's no global emphasis (chopsticks are absent, for instance). Similar in stature and ability, the children approach each action with joy, though, occasionally, vacant wide-eyed stares stunt expressiveness. Simple background design creates a soothing pattern. Not a lot of food for thought, but an enthusiastic, fast-paced feast nonetheless. (Picture book. 2-4)

(COPYRIGHT (2011) KIRKUS REVIEWS/NIELSEN BUSINESS MEDIA, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.)

May 1, 2011

PreS-Four children demonstrate ways to eat different foods-on each page or spread, one or more of the youngsters is shown "chewing," "gulping," "crumbling," "nibbling," etc. The simple rhyming text is action packed. For example, "Swirl it. (mashed potatoes) Curl it. (spaghetti) Scoop it. (pudding) Loop it. (licorice)." The simple acrylic illustrations set the kids and food against bright, deliciously varied colored backgrounds. The last sequence has them eating soup, "Slurp, slurp, BURP!/Easy as pie!" and as they dig into their dessert, the children all say: "Now YOU try!" Toddlers and preschoolers will love to imitate the actions, either in a food storytime or one-on-one.-Judith Constantinides, formerly at East Baton Rouge Parish Main Library, LA

Copyright 2011 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

April 15, 2011
Preschool Eating isnt hard to do. Follow us! Well show you, exclaim four young children on the first spread of this colorful title that celebrates sounds and actions at the table. With simple, active rhymes and candy-colored acrylic paintings, the children describe what and how they eat. Each unframed spread pairs an image of a kid in front of a plate of a child-friendly food (pudding, pancakes) with an appropriate phrase, from munch it for apple and crunch it for carrot to lick it for ice cream and pop it for popcorn. The sounds of the words are part of the fun, and so are the movements: swirl it for mashed potatoes; curl it for spaghetti. Young children will want to return repeatedly to chant along with the words and act out the scenarios for the delicious essentials they know. A joyful title that makes cleaning up your plate look easy as pie.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2011, American Library Association.)